http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/ Engadget Comments for Sharp's XMDF format looks to bring e-books into the next generation http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 7:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Downrank me ,please. Serously , I am not trying to trick you with reverse psychology , just do it.]]>Jul 20th 2010 7:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Well with a touchscreen dominating its front, the iPad truly had a unique design nobody ever thought of before. Maybe next time they'll "introduce" widescreen tablets (you know, like the one pictured) to the world.

/s]]>Jul 20th 2010 7:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Jeez... Its too late for you dude. Steves reality distortion caught you while you are asleep. Hand him your credit card details and everything will be fine from here on.]]>Jul 20th 2010 7:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 7:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 7:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Looks like the same stupid comment every iTroll has made]]>Jul 20th 2010 7:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Is that the sound of someone reinventing the wheel?
XHTML and Flash can both do this very well and Flash has done for years. The reason publishers don't use them is just sheer laziness towards online publishing, which has lead to another closed standard.

Thanks, really...]]>Jul 20th 2010 7:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Didn't the itunes update just bring this to iDevices?
"As for iBooks 1.1.1, that one still seems to be propagating through the iTunes server factory, promising support for books with audio and video"
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/19/apple-releases-itunes-9-2-1-and-ibooks-1-1-1-fixes-galore-promi/]]>Jul 20th 2010 7:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
You still need a container to put it in, also the goal isn't to have an ebook structured like an HTML style web page layout since these ebooks have dynamically pages numbered based on screen size and user adjustable text size; text and media need to overflow between pages and not require the user to zoom in or out. Also, XMDF is XML based and is open, so there won't be any need for plug-in or special programs.

Adobe is trying to do this with Flash but its a closed proprietary format, and a non-starter on Apple devices. So dead in the water.]]>Jul 20th 2010 9:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
on a different note, wudnt really mind a standardized ebook format with multimedia in it. cant hurt, right?]]>Jul 20th 2010 7:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 8:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/But yea, a tablet without stylus support? i'm a physics student. Keyboard doesnt cut out for me. I'll pass :P(referring to the iPad here)]]>Jul 20th 2010 8:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 7:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
You beat me to it! Damn, but seriously. That is a massive Nexus One.

Also: Do want.]]>Jul 20th 2010 8:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 9:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 7:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Because college textbooks are currently interactive?]]>Jul 20th 2010 11:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 7:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
What has the world become nowadays?
So there's a religion called applelogy. Right.]]>Jul 20th 2010 8:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 1:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
The only thing these formats accomplish is to put content behind a paywall, and make one company (presumably the creator) a fundamental cog in the distribution machine.

Not only are these formats unnecessary, they also steal productivity by insisting that development happen on the tiny island which is the client.

No thanks, I'll stick with HTML.]]>Jul 20th 2010 8:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 9:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/vector formats isn't what XHTML/HTML/CSS is lacking, but mere functional precise layout control. XHTML was never good at text layout and that's why all ebooks and printing still demand PDF.]]>Jul 20th 2010 9:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 9:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Consider this project: http://cufon.shoqolate.com/generate/
It is a javascript engine that uses VML on explorer and SVG (basic vector's only) to render fonts accurately across browsers. As the rendering is not done using the browser engine, it is quite precise and uniform across *all* modern browsers including IE 6+ (99% of browsers). Best of all, it's here today, implemented at the content creator's request.

Layouts are something easily handled by a general Javascript layout engine.

A further advantage is that this content is deliverable via a web page (which can still be behind a paywall -- if required), which means that it can be mixed with other client technologies and leverages an already mature (and still improving) framework. How about a chat client in your ebook, or on-page annotations, or web forum for discussion. These are easily done with HTML/javascript.

This is one example, but it illustrates that the tools are currently available to make formats like these redundant. Better yet, they are standardized, open, accessible, available to 99% of the computer users, and content does not run the risk of being locked into a format with limited client support while leveraging the numerous capabilities of the modern web. In other words: the web is superior RIGHT NOW in every way to these boutique formats.

Rapidly increasing adoption of HTML5/CSS3/SVG2/NaCl/etc only furthers the capability gap.]]>Jul 20th 2010 9:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Vertical text japanese rendering? No problem. Consider *writing* or *porting* a typeface rendering engine and layout engine to Javascript, and using SVG/VML/Canvas to do the rendering.

It's far easier than creating new format/client that ironically must do the same and a whole lot more.

As a person who's personally written one from scratch with no experience (using flash Actionscript 3 -- similar to java in structure), it's not that difficult, and I assure you it could be done in Javascript as well.

Again, look at cufon to see a popular implementation of bypassing the built-in browser APIs to render text.]]>Jul 20th 2010 10:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Oh, by the way, the font rendering/layout engine that I wrote parsed OpenType and TrueType fonts translated into a proprietary format (incl. kerning), for a runtime not designed to display them. Similar to the methods that Cufon uses.

This is the beauty of javascript. As a general purpose language it was designed augment the capabilities of the browser allowing developers to create new functionality.

It will apply equally well to e-books.]]>Jul 20th 2010 10:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 9:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
its an open-format. Its an IEC standard. No licensing, nothing.

"An e-book format created by Sharp, that is developed based on international standard definition XML. In February 2009, XMDF was accepted as international standard (IEC62448 Ed. 2 Annex B)."]]>Jul 20th 2010 9:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/How exactly would a NEW format help? If Sharp proposes this as a standard I assume it imagines others will build readers for it, right? What exactly would make those more successful in making xdf render exactly as intended than the ones who implemented XHTML ?]]>Jul 20th 2010 9:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Think about how you read a website versus how you read a book.

A website that uses HTML is based on links, with pages designed for a specific resolution. A book is linear, the softcover edition may have different number of pages then a hardcover; text size, font size, over screen size are different.

The goal is to be completely agnostic to those things, the publisher doesn't need to worry about formatting their work for a specific device. If you work with HTML you know that formatting in HTML can be pain, an ebook isn't encumbered by those things, and the formatting requirements are completely different (which is why the world still uses PDF).

The Kindle uses AZW files, MS has LIT files, and Apple is using ePUB and others. Only ePUB is open. This XMDF is also open, and also based on XML like ePUB. But unlike ePUB, XMDF has sound support, interactivity support, and media support.

The problem with ePUB is that it has no layout support like XMDF, so it won't be useful for media and magazines. This new format bridges the gap between ePUB and layout content like PDF/HTML.]]>Jul 20th 2010 9:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/
Reminds me of the mp3 player wars. Apple won out because of their whole ecosystem and platform. Creative Zens were nice, and I even still have a Zen Vision M, but I remember all the headaches I had trying to get podcasts to my device, syncing them, etc, etc.]]>Jul 20th 2010 9:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Sharp is only developing an extensions to allow richer multimedia support. An an XML-based format, extension is a natural part of it.]]>Jul 20th 2010 9:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/sharps-xmdf-format-looks-to-bring-e-books-into-the-next-generat/Jul 20th 2010 12:11PM